At the age of 35 

©IMAGO

Former Arsenal and Rangers midfielder and 86-time Wales international Aaron Ramsey is hanging up his boots. The 35-year-old, who has been without a club since his contract with Mexico’s UNAM Pumas was terminated last November, wrote on his social media channels: “This decision has not been an easy one for me. After careful consideration, I have decided to end my football career.”

Ramsey had moved from Cardiff City in his home country to Mexico City in the summer of 2025, where he was presented as a marquee signing. After the midfielder failed to turn up for training for weeks, his contract was terminated early. The reason for Ramsey’s absence, however, was a sad one: just over three weeks before his departure from the Pumas, he reported the disappearance of his dog Halo and appealed for help in the search – to no avail until November. According to reports, Ramsey was unable to think about football, which is why the club felt compelled to terminate his contract.

Prior to this, the 2022 World Cup participant and 2021 and 2016 Euros participant – where he missed the semi-final against eventual tournament winners Portugal (0-2) due to a yellow card suspension – had been through a series of transfers. Arsenal signed Ramsey in 2008 at the age of 17 for €6.4 million from his youth club Cardiff. He made his Premier League and Champions League debuts for the Gunners shortly afterwards. He had already played for Cardiff in the English Championship at the age of 16 years and four months, where he remains one of the 20 youngest players since the league’s inception in 2004.

Aaron Ramsey: Most successful & longest spell at Arsenal

After loan spells at Nottingham Forest and back at Cardiff, Ramsey established himself as a regular at Arsenal in the 2011/12 season. In total, he made 369 appearances for the London club, scoring 64 goals and providing 60 assists. In 2018, Ramsey reached the highest market value of his career there at €45 million – making him the third most valuable Welshman of all time, behind Gareth Bale (€90m in 2016) and Brennan Johnson (€50m in 2024). He won the FA Cup and the Community Shield three times with the Gunners. Ramsey won the league title just once in his career: in 2019/20 alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus. He had moved to Italy on a free transfer a few months earlier after his contract at Arsenal had expired.

Even during his Premier League career, Ramsey had frequently been plagued by injuries; at Juventus, he only ever had short spells at a time when he was fully fit. In January 2022, he left the Old Lady on loan to Rangers and subsequently moved again on a free transfer to OGC Nice, where he enjoyed his final season with plenty of playing time. “It has been an honour to wear the Welsh shirt and experience so many incredible moments in it. That would not have been possible without the tremendous dedication of all the managers I have played under and all the staff who have helped me in so many ways,” Ramsey continued, also addressing the fans:

“To the Red Wall: you’ve been there for me through thick and thin! You’ve shared in the highs and lows and have been an essential and indispensable part of our success. I can’t thank you enough. We’ve been through it all together, and it’s been an honour to represent you. Diolch. Secondly, I’d like to thank all the clubs I’ve been lucky enough to play for. Thank you to all the coaches and staff who helped me live my dream and play at the highest level. And a huge thank you to my wife and children, as well as my whole family. Without you by my side, none of this would have been possible.”